Eala dominates Thai to clinch SEA Games gold

NONTHABURI .— Alex Eala trounced home bet Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday at the National Tennis Development Center to complete a domination of the field en route to her first SEA Games gold medal.

Eala, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, won the country’s first gold medal in women’s singles since Maricris Fernandez-Gentz triumphed in 1999.

The 20-year-old dazzled in the opener, battling back from 0-40 in the first set to take a 3-0 lead. Sawangkaew got on board in the fourth game 3-1 but there was no stopping Eala as she churned out three straight game wins to end the set.

She expressed concern over line calls from one of the linesmen in the second set, with the umpire needing to replay three points after miscalls that gave the points to Sawangkaew.

“To end the year on this high is such an amazing thing. I wouldn’t have thought it would happen at the start of the year,” said Eala, the world No 52.

It wasn’t just the calls as Eala needed to fight a more determined Sawangkaew who won the game after the linesman was replaced, breaking Eala’s serve in the fourth game 2-all.

But the Filipina stayed locked in and broke Sawangkaew’s serve right back, with the pressure also mounting on the Thai as she committed a double fault to give Eala a 3-2 lead.

She then broke the Thai’s serve to move one game away from the gold, 5-2.

Eala finished her SEA Games 2025 campaign with one gold and two bronzes from the mixed doubles and team events. (MCO-EM)